


Testing-Testing I'm Just Suggesting You and I Might Not Be the Best Thing

by batoravu



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AI chooses one's soulmate (or at least tries), Alternate Universe - Artificial Intelligence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Artificial Intelligence, M/M, Soulmates, antonio is a bookshop owner, aren't spamano soulmates, based on my grammar assignment which i turned into a spamano fanfic-, feliciano being feliciano, long live spamano, lovino's eternal struggle with his brother, may our fandom arise, thank you himaruya
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:22:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29809731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batoravu/pseuds/batoravu
Summary: Soulmate!AU in which AI chooses one's soulmate (or at least tries).Lovino doesn't trust AI, but being the ‘‘‘‘‘‘‘lucky’’’’’’’ one thanks to his brother, has to spend the whole week in Paris with some random man named Antonio for the sake of the experiment.
Relationships: South Italy/Spain (Hetalia)
Kudos: 13





	Testing-Testing I'm Just Suggesting You and I Might Not Be the Best Thing

Have you ever reached a point in your life where you find yourself feeling so lonely and pathetic that you no longer resist your constant sadness? It’s not the kind of loneliness one feels when one hasn’t seen one’s friends or family for a long time. It’s the ultimate emptiness that feels like acid dissolving one from the inside. A point in your life where you just sit and wait. For what? The question remains to be answered. A point in your life where you forget how to interact with people because you’ve crawled into your shell which seems to be bulletproof and everlasting. Until there’s someone very willing to break it. 

‘Lovino, you won’t believe it!’ 

A point where you think ‘well, fire away, hit me with your best shot’. Is there anything in the world your stupid brother hasn’t come up with yet? 

The answer is always yes. 

‘You did what?!’ 

Feliciano wasn’t one of the dull relatives who usually said something like ‘come on, you need to find someone!’ He genuinely believed Lovino was _that_ lonely. Feliciano wasn’t wrong though. It’s just that Lovino was successfully avoiding admitting it and wasn’t extremely eager to leave his shell. But Feliciano, being the most carefree person you could imagine, was doing his best trying to get his brother out of it. Lovino didn’t hate it. At that point he just no longer cared as he had managed to put up with his brother’s character after all those years. One couldn’t help noticing they were very alike, yet so different. They were twins and Lovino looked almost identical to Feliciano, but his hair was a darker auburn and his eyes were olive-green, while Feliciano’s were a warm shade of honey brown. Some people could barely notice the difference between them in terms of appearance. When it came to their characters, however, one could easily tell them apart thanks to Feliciano’s smile and Lovino’s frown.

‘There’s no way I’m packing my things and leave for Paris with some stranger! Are you out of your mind?’ 

‘But... I just thought it might be fun...’

‘Do you really think this is what I call ‘fun’?’

‘Well.... Yes...?’

‘Never mind then. It couldn’t have been any different with you’.

Feliciano’s ideas have always been crazy. But Lovino had to admit – Feliciano’s excelled himself. This time he decided to fill in some application form to take part in a contest which was supposed to find a perfect match among the participants. And, of course, he had used Lovino’s name to register.

‘Is this about that Artificial Intelligence thing you told me about?’

‘Yes!’

‘Then there’s definitely no way I’m going anywhere’.

‘But why?’

‘You know I don’t trust it’.

He wasn’t even lying. The newsreaders kept boasting about the latest developments in the AI sphere. The scientists have been trying to develop some kind of a brand new dating site for years, struggling with system errors. You wouldn’t even have to tell about your age, interests and background – the system would know it in advance. And the fact that that days government data bases knew so much (probably even more than you did) about you and your life scared the hell out of Lovino. If you had a personal card, you could easily enter its number in a shop and it would adjust everything to your liking. There were some soft faults, but the system proved useful with adjusting TV-channels or YouTube recommendations.

Anyhow, Lovino was the ‘reject-modernity-embrace-tradition’ kind of person and was very reluctant to change something, especially when it involved letting other people into his life (not to mention the government and the state officials). 

It turned out that of all 12000 participants he was the ‘‘‘‘‘‘‘lucky’’’’’’’ one. He and some random man from who-knows-where. Lovino was furious with Feliciano. As much as he didn’t want to go, he hated to make his little brother upset. 

‘They’ll cover all your expenses! It’ll be great fun, Lovino!’

‘But Paris is so dirty...’

‘But the expenses!’

Right. The expenses. 

The fact that Lovino was poor and the trip was basically free of charge was just enough to convince him. He was trying desperately to cheer himself up on his way to the airport. ‘You only live once, right? Get out of you comfort zone, that’s what they say, right?’ He almost succeeded in convincing himself that the trip won’t be that bad. But then he saw the man described to him by the organizers. He had beautiful sun-kissed skin, and Lovino’s eyes lingered on his muscles which were visible through his casual clothing. The wind tousled his caramel wavy hair with some random gold strands which he was trying to fix but in vain. His sparkling green eyes were watching Lovino _too_ intently with _too much_ enthusiasm, so Lovino looked away. 

The three words. 

Not. His. Type. Not even close. Another day of questioning the AI abilities, huh? 

‘Hi, you must be Lovino? I’m Antonio, it’s so nice to meet you!’

Already loud. Already annoying. The devil take you, Feliciano. And his accent. Is he Spanish or something?

‘Lovino. Nice to meet you... Kind of. Are you from Spain?’.

‘Yes!’ answered the man cheerfully. ‘Was it my accent that gave me away?’ he asked, visibly embarrassed.

‘Yeah, the accent’.

An awkward pause followed his remark.

‘And what are you doing in Italy then?’ Lovino wondered.

‘I moved here some years ago. And now I own a-’

The conversation was interrupted by the two men who approached Lovino and Antonio, introducing themselves and giving them some papers to sign. Under the contract, they were not allowed to leave Paris before the experiment finished, they were not allowed to contact any of their friends and relatives and they had to submit the reports every 2 days. The reports included photos of them together and any other kind of feedback. That was the moment Lovino realized what he had got himself into.

‘Just a week, just a week, just a week,’ he whispered to himself.

They signed the papers and got on the airplane. No sooner had they sat down than Lovino mumbled:

‘So, just for you to know, I’m not interested in relationships, I was registered by my stupid little brother and I’m doing this only because I won’t have to pay for the trip. And I don’t trust AI’. 

Antonio seemed to have missed the most important parts of the so-called speech completely and asked:

‘Why? I mean why don’t you trust AI?’

‘So you’re telling me you believe that some random computer can find one’s soulmate and create the ideal match? I mean look at us. Not to be offensive, but I wouldn’t date you even if you were the last man on earth’.

‘Well, you’ll have a whole week to change your mind’.

‘Are you always that annoying?’

‘ _Am_ I annoying?’

The other passengers on the plane started looking at them suspiciously, obviously irritated by their quarrel.

‘Yes, you are’.

‘Well, and you are being rude’.

‘I’m not rude, I’m telling the truth- Ouch!’

Someone punched Lovino’s seat from the back. The two fell silent.

‘Wake me up when we land,’ said Lovino, plugging in his headphones.

***

The two entered the hotel room. Lovino had to admit that the room looked luxurious and expensive. It was quiet and very well-lit thanks to the huge window. On the wall there was a good-sized flat-screen TV which was playing some soft music at the moment. Lovino’s thoughts were interrupted by Antonio’s voice.

‘Have you ever been to Paris?’

‘No. And if you ask me, I’d prefer Rome. Or Venice’.

‘Really? I thought it to be everyone’s dream to visit Paris’.

‘It’s just very banal’.

‘Isn’t Italy banal as well?’ Antonio smirked.

‘Say that again and I’ll hit you with that fancy pillow,’ answered Lovino pointing at a silk accent pillow. ‘First of all, it’s not banal. Second of all, I was born there, so I love it really much’.

‘Well, I think there still must be a reason why they call Paris the city of love, right?’

Lovino stopped unpacking his things, staring at Antonio in disbelief.

‘Rome is the city of love, change my mind’.

‘I could try, but for that we’ll have to leave the hotel and go to some gorgeous café and have a nice cup of coffee and a croissant there,’ said Antonio, giving Lovino an inviting look.

‘Today,’ Lovino muttered. ‘I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying in bed to watch TV and process the fact of being here with a person who thinks Paris is the city of love’.

‘Does it actually matter?’ Antonio asked surprisingly. ‘I could agree to Rome being the city of love’.

‘Oh no, no. I’m not letting you get away with it. It’s the fundamental ways in which we differ. So would you be so kind not to bother me until tomorrow?’ Lovino didn’t even wait for the response and just closed the door to the other room behind him.

Well, things didn’t look very promising.

***

The next evening Antonio finally talked Lovino into going to a café. He kind of regretted it though. On their way there, they haven’t even said a word tired of arguing. When they got there things didn’t get any better either. Lovino, believe it or not, really tried to be nice, but it was just in his nature to bicker. Besides, he was extremely picky.

‘So, what would you like?’ Antonio asked.

‘I don’t know, I hate French cuisine. Is it true that they eat frogs?’

‘Come on, there are plenty of other dishes’.

‘Just a glass of wine’.

Antonio hoped it would make Lovino at least more relaxed, but in fact, nothing changed. Only his cheeks became rosier and, Antonio had to admit it, that shade of pink looked so good on him. Truth be told, Lovino was pretty, as well as very graceful, reminding Antonio of a black cat. But he was so hard to approach, that Antonio started to lose his hope. They spent no more than an hour in the café. Walking along the river, Lovino couldn’t help noticing Antonio’s glance. He also couldn’t help noticing his understanding smile every time when Lovino snapped at him once again. It flattered him, but also, he was scared to death. No one has ever been that calm listening to Lovino’s complaints about nothing. He knew he was being rude all the time, but it happened only because he was so used to bottling up his feelings, that being harsh and abrupt was almost his habit.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

‘It’s nothing, just wondering whether we’re going back to the hotel. The evening is lovely’.

‘I’m cold, so yes, we’re going back,’ Lovino lied. He wasn’t cold.

‘I can give you my jacket,’ Antonio exclaimed ready to take it off.

‘I’ll politely decline’.

Antonio stopped. Lovino, having made some more steps without him by his side, had to stop as well. 

‘What’s that?’ he asked in confusion.

‘Do you realise you’re not giving me a single chance?’

‘You are not wrong. Why would I?’ Lovino blushed. He hated it when people could read him like a book. And considering that he had been rejected so many times, he hated to open up to people.

‘Well, since we’re both here, one way or another, why not?’

‘Because I didn’t ask for it. It was my stupid brother. You know, if you are so eager to build a healthy relationship, I could give you his number. You are very alike’.

They continued to walk.

‘But I don’t want your brother’s number’.

‘Why not? I won’t believe you if you tell me you trust AI’.

‘I trust fate’.

They reached the hotel and went to the elevator to go back to their room.

‘Fate must be really cruel to put you with me like that. My brother is much less mean to people’.

Antonio frowned.

‘Besides,’ Lovino continued. ‘It’s not fate. It’s some people who want to examine us like rabbits. They must have chosen us randomly. Then they’ll say they’re extremely sorry for the inconvenience, the program is not yet finished and ‘bye’. I wish there was a way to hack it and forget it existed’.

‘Are you sure?’ said Antonio, closing the door and taking off his jacket.

‘Sure about what?’

‘About hacking it. I have a friend who could do that’.

‘But... We’re not allowed to contact others’, Lovino answered.

‘The rules are made to break them, aren’t they?’ Antonio winked at Lovino, making him blush again. 

‘Well... If you don’t mind’.

Antonio grabbed his phone and started texting someone.

Lovino just felt it with his skin that Antonio did mind. He knew that Antonio liked him, catching his warm glances and seeing his soothing smile when every time Lovino was annoyed. It felt like he, being a complete stranger to him, understood way more than some of his so-called friends. 

Antonio, keeping silent but looking as unbothered as you could imagine, turned on his laptop and started typing.

Lovino felt guilty for basically ruining the trip for the man. He was too scared to back down, afraid of what Antonio might say then. Lovino hated to admit that he was wrong or that he had said something stupid, and that’s why he wasn’t going to do that.

However, he felt it his duty to lighten the tension between them.

‘Are you a programmer?

‘No, I own a small shop,’ he smiled. ‘But my friend Gilbert told me I’ll have to help him a bit. He’ll just tell me what to do’.

‘Hm, I see. And what’s the shop?’

Antonio laughed, but said nothing.

‘Why are laughing? What’s so funny about that?’ 

‘Don’t tell me you’re going to come to my shop after hacking the program just to get rid of me’.

‘Huh, what a hope’.

‘It’s a bookshop. Not far from the city centre’.

Lovino sat in front of him, trying to understand what he felt. But he couldn’t guess a single emotion. Antonio just had that everyday smile on his face and that’s it.

‘So,’ started Antonio, looking into his monitor. ‘It was your brother then, right? Filling in the application for you?’

‘Yes’.

‘And why would he do that? Was it a joke or something?’

‘He’s just convinced that every person without a partner is a hopeless loner that needs help building a relationship’.

‘But… From what you were saying I may conclude he’s single as well. Why not register on one’s own?’

‘Ask _him’_.

Antonio raised his eyes.

‘You’re not really close, are you?’

Lovino was amazed at how shrewdly he could dig out the information about him, but tried not to show that.

‘Mhm’.

‘Just for you to know, I don’t consider you to be a bad person, and I’m not going to compare you with your brother. I see you’re not really comfortable with that’.

It felt strange and unusual to be talking about his own feelings, not about his brother’s or someone else’s. Lovino was used to being responsible for his little brother, who was so sensitive and emotional (unlike Lovino). But as much as he was used to it, he despised it. Despised being his brother’s supplement, not an independent human being. Lovino tried to change the subject.

‘And why did _you_ register?’

‘Me?’ Antonio exhaled. ‘Well, I had a really bad breakup and I’ve been alone for some time. So now... I’m giving it another shot’.

To Lovino’s surprise, he didn’t look uncomfortable telling him about something personal.

‘Don’t run from the world, Lovino,’ said Antonio quietly, making a pause. ’And now,’ he clicked some button. ‘We’ll just have to wait.’

Lovino felt suddenly upset. For the first time they managed to have a proper conversation.

‘I’m... sorry for ruining your trip.’

‘It’s fine,’ Antonio replied softly. ‘Maybe you’re right and they do choose people randomly’.

There was an uncomfortable silence which neither of them had the audacity to break. It seemed as if the tension between them could easily create high voltage filling the room with static sparks. Lovino was thinking about how amazingly easy someone managed to touch the most sacred pieces of his soul, plucking them like the strings of a guitar, whilst Antonio continued to text his friend from time to time and looked lost somewhere deep in his thoughts.

The silence between the two was interrupted by the sound of a notification.

‘What’s that?’ Lovino asked.

Antonio smirked.

‘You won’t like it’.

‘Won’t like what?’ he insisted.

‘As you remember, we have to submit reports. And so they’re asking for a picture of us’.

‘Jesus Christ’.

Lovino came to the mirror to fix his hair. Antonio watched him closely, admiring his beauty Lovino was probably unaware of. Lovino noticed his glance out of the corner of his eye and his palms became sweaty. He approached Antonio indicating he was ready.

They came to the window and, trying to catch the light, looked in the camera. Antonio took some pictures.

‘Hey, come on, smile!’

‘No’.

‘If you don’t I’ll have to tickle you’.

‘Don’t you dare’.

He dared.

‘Look, the organizers need to think everything’s going just fine. So let’s try to be less suspicious’.

Antonio didn’t care actually. He just wanted to see Lovino’s smile. The photos turned out to be a bit blurry, but Antonio was satisfied anyway.

‘You’re beautiful,’ Antonio said, trying to catch Lovino’s eyes.

Lovino skillfully avoided the eye-contact.

‘I’m not’.

‘You just don’t see it. You _do_ look beautiful’.

Lovino was embarrassed, but was not in the mood to snap at Antonio at that moment. Just when he thought the man might not be looking, Lovino glanced at him furtively, but their eyes met only for a few seconds, and it was enough for Lovino to feel enchanted by the vibrant, but soft at the same time, spring-ishly lively green eyes.

And so they continued to wait. In an hour or so, Antonio got a call from his friend saying everything was just fine. And an hour after that, the organizers called them, saying there was a mistake with the participants. Antonio and Lovino were allowed to stay in Paris, but Antonio told them they decided not to.

The next morning they were both flying back to Italy.

***

‘Lovino! What happened? You were to have spent a week there, not two days!’

‘Never mind. Just leave me alone’.

‘Oh… Fine then’

Lovino went to his room. He couldn’t explain why he felt so empty and devastated even to himself. Was it the fact that he had spoiled someone’s trip? Could be. But why did he care so much? It’s not the first time he spoiled something.

He started to unpack his suitcase even though his limbs felt heavy and stiff. He was returning to his and Antonio’s conversations over and over in his head. When he was done with his things, he threw away the ticket to Paris so that it wouldn’t remind him about the awful trip he had had. He didn’t feel relieved though, because he knew he wouldn’t be able to forget everything that had happened.

He spent some hours sitting in his room, scrolling through his timeline and listening to music. He got distracted from his thoughts by the sunlight which flooded into his room, making him stand up and come to the window. The sunset was beautiful. The glowing sun, a crisp circle in the crimson sky, illuminated the roofs. The breeze hummed in quiet harmony bringing with it the damp scent of oncoming evening. Lovino was admiring the beauty of the sunset when a sudden impulse hit him. He grabbed his phone and started to google something anxiously. His mind went blank and he didn’t even try to resist the reckless thing he was about to do.

‘A bookshop, you were saying?’ he whispered to himself.

Miraculously, he managed to find the address he needed. Lovino took his phone with him and rushed out of the house without even saying anything to his brother.

He tried so hard not to think about what he was doing at the moment. Otherwise the chain of thoughts would look like this:

_You get a shot with a nice guy - > you don’t like him at first -> you ask him to ask his friend to hack the government system -> you get what you want -> you realize you like him and want everything back_

Sounds pretty mad, doesn’t it?

He finally reached his destination. Lovino stopped and read the name of the bookshop engraved on the doorplate. He couldn’t believe he had actually made it. He entered the shop quietly but the bell still rang. Lovino tried to look natural but his whole body was shaking, his mouth was dry, his palms sweaty and his cheeks were burning with red. He pretended to be looking for a book and examined the place, which he really liked. It was fresh and clean, and the sunset made everything look very warm and welcoming. No sooner had he managed to calm down a bit than he saw Antonio who was sorting books on the shelf singing something in a low voice. Lovino’s heart skipped a beat and he felt anxious again. He started to think that it was very stupid to come here, but Antonio interrupted his train of thoughts.

‘Lovino?’

Well, there’s no way back then, is there?

‘A bit strange seeing you here after you told me you wouldn’t visit my shop,’ continued Antonio.

‘I need to tell you something’.

‘Go ahead’.

‘Uh… They… They called me and… They told me… that they had found out about our hack… and now… they want us to pay for it, sort of. And… you know I… shouldn’t have asked you to hack it in the first place and…’

Lovino, beginning to sink into his own poor lies, plucked up his courage and looked Antonio straight in the eyes.

‘Well, I shouldn’t have lied to you as well because no one called me’.

Antonio was trying to understand what was going on.

‘I’ve lied because you were right. I’m trying to run away from the world an my feelings, and I’m too shy to admit I didn’t want to leave Paris and that I like you. Sort of. And… I’m sorry for being so rude with you all the time, and for snapping at you. And for this poor speech that has already taken so much of your working time… So I guess I should apologize for interrupting your work. Yes, sorry, you must be really furious with me right now. I’d better go’.

He turned around almost ready to cry, but Antonio grabbed his hand.

‘You’re not going anywhere until I hug you. May I?’

Lovino didn’t say anything but didn’t resist as well. He just felt Antonio’s warm hands embracing him tenderly. He closed his eyes finally feeling at ease.

‘Do you mind waiting until I close the shop? And then we could grab a cup of coffee at my favourite café’.

Lovino nodded, too tired to answer. He was waiting patiently, still feeling the warmth of the sun on his face and watching the radiant, blinding even, sunrays reflect from each corner and shine so confidently as if they wouldn’t go away.


End file.
